I've travelled fairly extensively in my life and one thing I have taken away from my travels is all of the wonderful people I've met along the way.  That is one of the reasons why I have such a passionate interest in learning foreign languages; because I am just so curious about other cultures.  I hope to befriend people from all over the world here and learn more about the world around me.

As for my background, I received my Bachelor's degree in Criminology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.  My first love has been and always will be languages and I constantly fantasize about foregoing a Master's Degree in Criminology for a degree in languages! I've studied French, Russian, Arabic and Spanish, and my family can speak Italian and a little German.  In addition to that, I am interested in Farsi and Hindi-basica​lly everything!!​!

I am currently a civil servant, working for a New York City agency called Administrati​on for Children's Services (Division of Child Protection)-​ we investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect.  It is difficult and rewarding at the same time and I hope that I can do the best job I can!

Reading great books (mostly classic literature and historical biographies,​ especially of famous women!), learning languages, traveling, being with friends, listening to music, going to museums, films (especially foreign films-they make me feel like I am traveling, even when I'm not!), cooking (mostly Italian and Middle-Easte​rn cuisines, but I want to learn more), knitting (can't seem to get the hang of it, but I keep trying, haha!)

Rock, classic rock, rai, classical (when I can't sleep) and a little bit of country and pop sometimes!  And my guilty pleasure is really cheesy hair bands from the 80's!  My favorite artist of all time is Sting.  Other favorites of mine are Richard Ashcroft, Peter Gabriel, The Killers, Bon Jovi, KISS, 3 Doors Down, Linkin Park, The Eagles,  Oasis, Les Nubiens, The Music, Rachid Taha, Avenged Sevenfold, Queensryche,​ The Police, Steve Miller Band, Bruce Springsteen,​ Matchbox Twenty, Metallica, Maroon 5, Nickelback, AC/DC, Guns N Roses, Kula Shaker, Judas Priest, U2, Tool, Foo Fighters, Rammstein, Bryan Adams, P.O.D., Korn, Pearl Jam, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, Santana, John Lennon, Cheap Trick, Blue Oyster Cult, Eddie Money, Rage Against The Machine, Goo Goo Dolls, Keith Urban, Beethoven, Boston, Neil Diamond, Pantera, Journey, Cheb Mami, Juanes, Matchbox Twenty, The Rolling Stones, Richard Marx, Motley Crue, Megadeth, Melissa Etheridge, Kayna Samet, The Beatles, Stevie Nicks, Mary J. Blige, Van Halen, Soundgarden,​ The Doors, Edith Piaf, Katy Perry, Pink Floyd, Green Day, Theory of a Deadman, Carole King, The Who, Jeff Buckley, Tom Petty & The Heartbreaker​s, Nirvana, Disturbed, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cream, Godsmack.

An Officer and a Gentleman, The Godfather Trilogy, The Bourne Identity, No Way Out, Gilda, Clerks I and II, Under the Sand, A Tout de Suite, PCU, The Usual Suspects, Titanic, "Romeo and Juliet"​ (directed by Franco Zeffirelli),​ Wolf, Just Friends, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, Oxygen, Silence of the Lambs, The Cutting Edge, Glory, V, Falling Down, The Crow, Amelie, Munich, Belle de Jour, Rocco and His Brothers, Braveheart, The Merchant of Venice, Pride and Glory, The Spanish Prisoner, Signs, Dirty Dancing, Gladiator, Revenge of the Nerds, Eastern Promises, The English Patient, The Emerald Forest, Black Hawn Down, The Others, Reservoir Dogs.

(Not that I have ANY time to watch any of these shows anymore, haha!)  Rescue Me, The Kids in the Hall, CSI Miami, CSI New York, The Office, Lost, 24, Army Wives, The Unit, Married With Children, The King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Honeymooners​, I Love Lucy, JAG, NCIS, Brothers and Sisters, Frasier, GhostHunters​, The Sopranos, Mr. Bean, Twin Peaks.

Too many to mention, haha!   Anything by Shakespeare,​ especially his tragedies-Ro​meo and Juliet, Othello, The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet and Macbeth.  "The Secret History"​ by Donna Tartt, "1984"​ by George Orwell, "Cousin​ Bette" by Balzac, "The Three Musketeers"​ by Dumas, "Nichol​as and Alexandra"​ by Robert K. Massie, "Damage"​ by Josephine Hart, "The Lover" by Margeurite Duras, "Cather​ine de Mecidi"​ by Leonie Frieda, "Marie Antoinette: The Journey"​ by Lady Antonia Fraser, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" by Victor Hugo, "How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization"​ by Franklin Foer, "The Sicilian"​ by Mario Puzo, "The House of Medici: It's Rise and Fall" by Christopher Hibbert, "The Vampire Lestat"​ by Anne Rice, "Love Me Like You Mean It" by Leslea Newman, "Prague"​ by Arthur Phillips, "Michel​angelo and The Pope's Ceiling"​ by Ross King, "See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War Against Terrorism"​ by Robert Baer, "Vengeance"​ by George Jonas, "A Moveable Feast" by Ernest Hemingway, " I Wish Someone Were Waiting For Me Somewhere"​, " Hunting and Gathering"​ and "Someon​e I Loved"-​all by Anna Gavalda, anything by Anais Nin.

Well, this is not so much a quote as a poem.  One of my teachers recited this to our class at graduation and it moved me to tears:

              DO IT ANYWAY
        Written By Mother Theresa
      

        People are often unreasonable​, illogical,
        and self-centered;​
        Forgive them anyway.

        If you are kind, people may accuse you
        of selfish, ulterior motives;
        Be kind anyway.

        If you are successful, you will win some
        false friends and some true enemies;
        Succeed anyway.

        If  you are honest and frank,
        people may cheat you;
        Be honest and frank anyway.

        What you spend years building, someone
        could destroy overnight;
        Build anyway.

        If you find serenity and happiness,
        they may be jealous;
        Be happy anyway.

       The good you do today,
        people will often forget tomorrow;
        Do good anyway.

        Give the world the best you have,
        and it may never be enough;
        Give the world the best you've got anyway.

        You see, in the final analysis,
        it is between you and God;

        It was never between you and them anyway.


"Damage​d people are dangerous.  They know they can survive"​-Josephine Hart (Damage)